wilde_westfandomcom-20200215-history
Called 15
8:40:09 PM *** Ry is going to see if he has any messages waiting for him on his business phone! *** 8:41:08 PM Josie: They go back to work! 8:41:15 PM Josie: ((Also, BRB.)) 7:24:42 PM Josie: Ry checks his business phone! There's not much there--just a couple of "My spouse is cheating on me, can you get pictures so I can clean up in a divorce" cases, and then a text from Det. Wagner. "Give me a call when you get a chance. I got something." 7:26:23 PM *** Ry will find a quiet room and call him if it isn't too late. *** 7:26:47 PM Josie: It isn't. Wagner and his wife both work nights, remember. 7:27:22 PM Josie: "Wagner. Hey. Hey, stop that. Quit... look, do I have to separate you two? I will pull this car over. I WILL PULL THIS CAR O... okay. Thanks." 7:27:46 PM Ry: Bad time? 7:28:55 PM Josie: "No, it's the best time. Because it's the soonest possible time. Could you meet me at the McDonalds nearest the station?" 7:32:01 PM Ry: All right. That stuff'll kill you, you know. 7:33:05 PM | Edited 7:33:28 PM Josie: " I'm not the one who's going to be eating it. See you soon. No, stop -- " 7:33:09 PM Josie: He hangs up. 7:40:46 PM *** Ry shrugs, a bit relieved to have something to do. *** 7:41:09 PM Ry: He heads back to where everyone is. "All right, I have some business to see to. Don't... kill each other or be dead when I come back, all right?" 7:42:53 PM Josie: Tess: We will do our best! 7:43:36 PM *** Ry flies to where he needs to go! *** 7:46:45 PM Josie: It's a pretty quick trip! 7:49:04 PM *** Ry becomes a human thing about a block away. *** 7:49:38 PM Josie: There are a few people inside the McDonalds--a couple of college kids sipping coffee and studying, a scruffy guy who might or might not be homeless--but it's mostly fairly quiet. 7:50:58 PM Josie: Except for Wagner's group, which consists of himself and two children with light brown skin. The little boy has his hands full of the little girl's hair, and the little girl is flailing and yelling at him to stop. 7:51:10 PM Josie: Wagner is trying to separate them, but he's not having a ton of luck. 7:51:21 PM Ry: Ahhhh, family. 7:51:24 PM Josie: Ry is 100% aware that these are definitely not Wagner's kids. 7:51:28 PM *** Ry thinks this seems fairly familiar. *** 7:51:38 PM Ry: .... congratulations? 7:51:55 PM Josie: His own kids are grown, with the youngest being in college and the oldest in the 30ish range. 7:52:13 PM Josie: Wagner: They're not my --hey, hey, stop it. 7:52:47 PM Josie: He detaches the kids, and sets the girl in one side of the booth and the girl on the other side. 7:52:56 PM Josie: The girl immediately tries to kick her brother. 7:53:54 PM Josie: Wagner: Look, if you don't stop fighting you are not only not going to get the toys in your happy meals, but I am going to take you back to the station and give you back to your parents and we are not going to investigate anything, are we clear? 7:54:32 PM Josie: The girl stops, and the boy's lower lip quivers a little bit. 7:55:34 PM Ry: Ooof, you just gave me context and reprimanded children at the same time. Your wife is a lucky woman. 7:56:11 PM Josie: The girl is the older of the two--she has longish frizzy black hair in two puffs, and bright inquisitive brown eyes. She's probably around 10. The boy is about 8, and he's a bit chubby, with just a fuzz of curly brown hair on his head--he's wearing a Spider-Man T-shirt. 7:56:35 PM Josie: Wagner: My wife is a saint. 7:56:47 PM Josie: Boy: But you promised. 7:57:30 PM Josie: Wagner: And I meant it, just lay off each other long enough for me to go and get your food. This is Rycroft Winslow. He's a detective too, just like me, but he specializes in weird stuff. 7:58:07 PM Josie: Boy: Weird stuff like abobinable snowmen? 7:58:28 PM Josie: Wagner: Yeah, and chalupas. You talk to him, I'll get your food. No more fighting. 7:58:40 PM Ry: Yes. Yetis. 7:58:54 PM Josie: Girl: Yetis aren't real. 7:59:04 PM Josie: Boy: They are so. 7:59:15 PM Josie: Girl: No, they're not. 7:59:38 PM Josie: Boy: That's what you said about vampires and you were wrong about that too! 7:59:46 PM Josie: Girl: ... just because there's vampires doesn't mean there's yetis. 7:59:56 PM Josie: Boy: It doesn't mean there's not! 8:00:03 PM Ry: So... you want to tell me what's happening? 8:00:06 PM Josie: Wagner rolls his eyes and heads for the food counter. 8:00:18 PM Josie: Girl: Yeah, our neighbor's a vampire. 8:00:41 PM Josie: Boy: He drinks people's blood! 8:01:24 PM Josie: Girl: So we ran away. 8:02:41 PM Josie: They look at Ry expectantly. 8:03:01 PM Ry: What about your parents? 8:04:03 PM Josie: Boy: They're dumb. 8:04:29 PM Josie: Girl: They're not dumb, they're just grown-ups. They don't listen. Well they do listen but then they don't believe us because we're kids. 8:04:56 PM Ry: Tell me what you saw, then? 8:05:56 PM Josie: Girl: We saw our neighbor drinking somebody's blood! Duh. We said that already. 8:07:01 PM Ry: I need more details than that, though. Who was the neighbor? Where did you see this? 8:07:25 PM Ry: Whose blood was drunk? 8:08:39 PM Josie: She rolls her eyes. "Mr. Gerwig, our neighbor. I don't know who it was, I didn't see." 8:09:32 PM Josie: Boy: Some girl! She had real dark curly hair, but I didn't see her face good. 8:09:38 PM Josie: Boy: It was in his house. 8:09:51 PM Ry: So you saw through a window. 8:09:59 PM Josie: Wagner returns with two happy meals and a salad on a tray, and distributes the food to the kids. 8:10:53 PM Josie: Boy: Yeah! 8:11:50 PM Josie: Girl: Our parents didn't believe him but Henry doesn't lie. He can be real dumb sometimes but he doesn't lie. 8:11:58 PM Josie: Henry: I'm not dumb. 8:12:10 PM Ry: When did this happen? 8:12:49 PM Josie: Girl: Three days ago. Then we got in trouble for callin' the police so we ran away. I don't wanna get eaten. 8:15:12 PM Ry: Did you see the woman leave his house before you ran away? 8:15:27 PM Josie: Boy: Nope. 8:22:21 PM *** Ry thinks. "All right. I'll look into it, and get the address and stuff from Wagner here. Who is a yeti." *** 8:22:44 PM Josie: Wagner: I am not a yeti. 8:22:54 PM Josie: The boy looks at him, judging! JUDGING. 8:23:24 PM Josie: Girl: He doesn't have any fur. 8:23:35 PM Josie: Wagner: I shave daily. 8:26:51 PM *** Ry gestures over to Wagner so he can talk to him away from the kids. *** 8:27:33 PM Josie: Wagner heads off a little way from the kids. 8:33:02 PM Josie: Wagner: I found 'em in the park. They ran off. It's obviously not a vampire, but they did say there was a lot of blood, and the girl never left, so... 8:33:20 PM Ry: Yeah. I'll go check it out. When did you find them, just tonight? 8:35:25 PM Josie: Wagner: Yeah. They said they were only out there for about an hour--they're supposed to be at a church overnight, so the parents don't know they ran off yet. I'm gonna bring 'em home as soon as they're done eating, but I thought they'd be a little easier to deal with if they thought somebody was looking into it. And, well... blood and a girl who never leaves the house. You never know, it could be a murder. 8:45:58 PM Ry: ((Back! sorry, I had to clean the kitchen a little.)) 8:46:05 PM Ry: Gimme the address, I'll check it out. 8:46:24 PM Josie: Wagner scrawls it on a McDonalds receipt and hands it to him. 8:46:49 PM Josie: Wagner: I'll take the kids home when they're done eating. Or... playing with their food, looks like. 8:47:01 PM Josie: He sighs. "Thanks." 8:47:38 PM *** Ry takes the receipt. "No problem." *** 8:47:58 PM *** Ry talk to the kids. "I'm going to go check out your neighbor, all right?" *** 8:48:29 PM Josie: The girl looks at him. "... you sure? What if he drinks your blood all up?" 8:48:36 PM Josie: Boy: Yeah, he's got real sharp pointy teeth! 8:49:22 PM Ry: Well, ,then you'll know he's definitely a vampire. 8:49:59 PM Josie: Girl: We already do know. 8:50:21 PM Josie: Boy: Our dog went missing! 8:50:43 PM Josie: Girl: AND he moved in at night. 8:53:09 PM Ry: Hmm. Well, I mostly mean that people will definitely definitely know. not just you. 8:53:48 PM Josie: Boy: As long as you don't let him eat mama. 8:53:56 PM Ry: I won't. 8:55:22 PM Josie: Girl: Are you gonna put a stake in his heart and cut off his head? 8:57:18 PM Ry: Only if he makes me. 8:57:49 PM Josie: Girl: How does it fit? 8:58:39 PM Ry: How does what fit? 8:59:51 PM Josie: Girl: The stake. We have it for dinner sometimes and it's all floppy. Do you freeze it first or somethin'? 9:02:02 PM Ry: .... Yes. Then you pierce their heart with it. 9:03:52 PM Josie: Girl: Oh, okay. 9:03:57 PM Josie: She looks at the boy. "I told you so." 9:04:08 PM Josie: Boy: There's stake in the freezer at home if you wanna use that. 9:04:28 PM | Edited 9:04:35 PM Ry: Let's hope it doesn't come to that. 9:04:58 PM Josie: Girl: Then he'll die, right? 9:06:05 PM Ry: We'll see. If he's guilty, we're just going to try and take him in. 9:10:14 PM Josie: Boy: You can arrest vampires? 9:10:40 PM Ry: He might not be a vampire. He might just be a crazy murderer. 9:12:24 PM Josie: Boy: He's a vampire! 9:12:59 PM Ry: That's what I'm going to find out. 9:14:08 PM Josie: Girl: Nuh uh, if Henry says he's a vampire, he's a vampire. 9:14:17 PM Josie: Girl: You got to bring steak. Promise me. 9:18:16 PM Ry: I promise. I will be ready to stake a vampire. 9:19:25 PM Josie: Girl: Okay. 9:19:29 PM Josie: Boy: Good luck, mister! 9:23:05 PM *** Ry smiles, and waves! *** 9:23:21 PM *** Ry looks at Wagner. "All right, I'll be in touch." *** 9:28:20 PM *** Ry goes outside, finds a safe place, and flies out toward the address! *** 9:29:12 PM Josie: He heads out! And there we'll stop for the night. 7:10:04 PM Josie: Ry heads for the house of the alleged vampire, while his friend Det. Wagner takes the kids home! 7:10:41 PM Ry: Yes. He goes human about a block away. 7:12:34 PM Josie: Easy to do--it's probably around 9 p.m. so there's no one out and about. The area is a nice suburb with very nice middle-class homes--white picket fences and swingsets, that sort of thing. 7:13:31 PM *** Ry looks at the house the kids are likely to be from. *** 7:14:42 PM Josie: Only the downstairs lights are on--nice house, really. It has a good view of the neighboring house where the alleged vampire lives, but only from the side. 7:17:46 PM *** Ry then moves to the neighbor's house. *** 7:18:21 PM Josie: Looks like a nice house! All the shades are drawn, though. There are some lights on upstairs and downstairs as well. 7:21:49 PM *** Ry goes right up and knocks on the door. *** 7:22:00 PM Josie: No one answers! 7:23:32 PM *** Ry knocks again. *** 7:23:46 PM Ry: Or presses the doorbell. 7:24:12 PM Josie: Eventually someone says "Who is it?" 7:24:26 PM Ry: ((Male or female?)) 7:24:31 PM Josie: Female! 7:25:10 PM Ry: I'm with the city ma'am, I gotta talk to you about the sewers. 7:25:39 PM Josie: "Hold your ID up to the hole." 7:26:15 PM *** Ry would like to put his eye up to the hole and try to hypnotize through it. *** 7:27:48 PM Josie: Roll for it! 7:28:21 PM Ry: (( 9! )) 7:29:38 PM Josie: It works! You've hypnotized whoever that blue eye belongs to. 7:30:02 PM Ry: Open the door, please. 7:30:12 PM Josie: The door opens! 7:31:06 PM *** Ry turns on aura sight to see whoever opens it. *** 7:31:46 PM Josie: Light blue! It's got some weird flecks in it, though. 7:36:23 PM Josie: Like there's interference. 7:36:41 PM *** Ry looks at her. What does she look like? *** 7:37:30 PM Josie: It's a pretty blonde woman, middle-aged, with short hair in a bob. She's wearing a nice sweater set. 7:39:17 PM Ry: Do you live here, ma'am? 7:39:41 PM Josie: "Yes." 7:39:52 PM Ry: How long have you lived here? 7:41:24 PM Josie: "Three days." 7:41:40 PM Josie: She has that kind of glazed-over look people usually get when hypnotized, but Ry can tell she's fighting it. 7:43:15 PM Ry: Okay. I showed you my ID. I am with the city, and everything is in order, and I'm asking normal questions about the house. Did you move in with anyone that lives here? 7:46:37 PM Josie: "Yes. My sister." 7:49:12 PM Ry: Does a man live here? 7:50:07 PM Josie: "Y...yes..." 7:50:44 PM Josie: She's definitely coming out of it. 7:51:28 PM Ry: ((This is why he told her his ID was in order.)) 7:52:10 PM Josie: ((Smart move!)) 7:55:04 PM Ry: Is he around? 7:56:41 PM Josie: "Yes. I don't think he wants to talk to you, though. I take care of this kind of thing." 7:58:40 PM Ry: Well, we're gonna be shutting down the sewers at midnight tonight. It's a whole thing. But we found out that our records on this whole block are pretty out of date. Who owns the house? 7:58:53 PM *** Ry is trying to figure out what's weird about her aura. *** 8:03:39 PM Josie: ((Phone calllll.)) 8:05:49 PM Josie: ((Sorry, it was my family!)) 8:06:12 PM Josie: "... maybe you can come back tomorrow." 8:08:37 PM Ry: "I need to do this tonight, I'm afraid. Who owns the house? Do you rent? 8:09:45 PM Josie: "No, we own the house." 8:12:09 PM Ry: "Is the house in your name?" 8:12:18 PM Ry: ((What kind of vibe am I getting off of her?)) 8:12:48 PM Josie: "No." 8:12:53 PM Josie: She's nervous. 8:13:12 PM Josie: And that's probably messing up her aura a bit--though it's blotchy enough that she could also be a ghoul. 8:14:21 PM Ry: Whose name is it in? 8:14:57 PM Josie: "... you should probably come back tomorrow." 8:15:53 PM Ry: I just need the name of the owner and I'll be out of your hear, miss.... what's your name? 8:16:40 PM Josie: "I'd rather not say. He'd get upset." 8:18:48 PM *** Ry puts on his best severe voice. "Loom, ma'am. If ya'll are squatters, the city doesn't look kindly on that. I'll have to come back with cops. *** 8:19:54 PM Josie: "We're not squatters. Please, you have to leave. Someone could get hurt." 8:20:45 PM Ry: You understand I can't just leave. Does he hurt you, ma'am? I can get you out of here and into a safe place. 8:22:06 PM Josie: "Ugh, no, we're just *busy.*" 8:22:49 PM Josie: A man clears his throat from the steps to the second floor. "Excuse me, what seems to be the trouble?" 8:23:43 PM Josie: He comes into view as he heads down the steps--it's a tallish young-looking man with dark hair down to his shoulders, wearing a dark suit. 8:23:58 PM *** Ry Auravisions him. *** 8:24:53 PM Josie: Gold, mostly, with a bit of rose and red-orange. All very pale, though--he probably is a vampire. 8:26:47 PM Ry: I'm with the city, sir. Trying to figure out who owns this house. 8:27:05 PM Josie: "That's a simple matter. I do." 8:27:26 PM *** Ry pulls out his phone and texts rose the address with a question mark. "You know who lives here?" *** 8:27:41 PM Ry: I just wanted a name, sir, for the paperwork. 8:28:47 PM Josie: "Sergei Andropov." 8:29:26 PM Josie: Rose answers: No, but I'll put a secretary on it. 8:30:06 PM *** Ry types that in to a text. "Sergei Andropov." *** 8:30:38 PM Ry: Occupation? 8:32:15 PM Josie: "Minister." 8:33:26 PM Ry: And how long have you lived here? 8:35:20 PM Josie: "Oh, I think it's been almost a week, isn't that right, Sheila?" 8:35:26 PM Josie: Sheila: ... yes. 8:35:51 PM Josie: Sergei: ... who sent you? 8:36:43 PM Ry: The city. 8:37:58 PM Josie: Sergei: ... do they employ a lot of us now? 8:39:03 PM Ry: You'd be surprised. I do freelance work for the police. I got informed there was a vampire living here. Usually the stories are fake or exaggerations or something. 8:40:27 PM Josie: Sergei makes a face. "Clearly not in this case. And clearly we're going to have to be more careful. Or perhaps simply find another location. Who found us out?" 8:41:32 PM Ry: Stories get around in neighborhoods like this. Especially when a strange woman is seen walking in and never leaving. 8:42:28 PM Josie: Sergei: ... strange woman who never... they don't mean Jeanne, do they? 8:45:39 PM Josie: Sheila: ... I'll go get her. 8:46:03 PM Josie: Sergei: Jeanne and Sheila are my... ahhh, acolytes, I suppose you might say. 8:47:40 PM Ry: Right. Jeanne being new, then? 8:48:20 PM Josie: Sergei: Yes. Both ghouls. It does simplify things a bit to have willing donors on hand, and they help with the daylight maintenance. Or they did. I suppose we'll have to move now. 8:48:56 PM Josie: Sheila returns with, presumably, Jeanne--a woman with short, dark, curly hair. She looks pretty pale as well, but seems healthy enough. 8:49:32 PM Ry: You're a minister? 8:50:32 PM Josie: Sergei: I usually say that to mortals, it's a little less scary-sounding than "Ordo Dracul." 8:50:46 PM Josie: Sergei: And it gets to the heart of the thing. 8:51:04 PM Ry: ((Do I know what the Ordo Dracul is?)) 8:51:47 PM Josie: Probably at least a little bit, yeah. 8:55:07 PM Ry: ((are they aligned with the Camarilla?)) 8:56:05 PM Josie: ((Most of them are. Some are good, some aren't; they are a weird cult, really.)) 9:06:05 PM Ry: Why'd you move here? 9:06:26 PM Josie: Sergei: It seemed like a nice quiet part of town. Good schools, low crime rate. 9:07:14 PM Ry: I think we can probably sort it out without you having to move. Did this one just move in with you? 9:07:28 PM Josie: Sergei nods. 9:07:42 PM Ry: Where'd you find her? 9:10:31 PM Josie: Sergei: She's a librarian at the local university. 9:11:12 PM Ry: And of course both of them are here of their own free will. 9:12:21 PM Josie: Sergei: Yes? Some people do like the idea of not aging another day. 9:12:47 PM Ry: True. All right. 9:12:48 PM Josie: Jeanne: And research opportunities. 9:13:09 PM Ry: We can work it out, then. You are acquainted with the Prince? 9:14:40 PM Josie: Sergei: Not personally, no. But we checked in when we moved in. 9:14:59 PM Ry: All right, then. 9:15:29 PM *** Ry hands him a business card. "I'm Rycroft Winslow. Sorry. Once a cop, always a cop. I'm an investigator." *** 9:16:22 PM Josie: Sergei: Ah, interesting. Do you work for her? The prince, I mean? 9:19:03 PM Ry: Sometimes. 9:22:38 PM Josie: Sergei: She has an... interesting reputation. 9:33:05 PM Ry: She's pretty efficient. Pretty modern, too, so your opinion might be swayed depending on what you think of that. 9:34:18 PM Josie: Sergei: Likely a good thing, I think. What should we do, do you think? Move, or stay? 9:37:07 PM Ry: You can stay. Just.... be more careful. 9:37:49 PM Josie: Sergei nods. "We'll keep the blinds closed at night." 9:40:57 PM Ry: Good idea. All right, then. Nice meeting you. 9:41:33 PM Josie: He nods. "Do stop by sometime." 9:41:41 PM Ry: Perhaps I will. 9:41:42 PM Josie: Jeanne: ... but call ahead first. 9:41:54 PM Ry: Got a number? 9:42:45 PM Josie: Sergei: Of course. 9:43:04 PM Josie: Sheila rattles off the number to him! 9:48:17 PM Ry: He takes the number, and takes his leave. 9:49:55 PM Josie: Ry heads out! And as he shuts the door his phone beeps and there's a bunch of information from Rose's office about Sergei. He was telling the truth, basically. 9:50:27 PM Ry: He sends a 'Thanks, I'll fill you in later." 9:50:36 PM Ry: Then looks for Wagner! 9:53:05 PM Josie: There is indeed a police car on the block. Wagner's sitting in it, fiddling with a cellphone and waiting. 9:57:06 PM *** Ry walks up. *** 9:59:17 PM Josie: Wagner looks up at him. "Hey, any bodies in there? Or just some crazy kids?" 9:59:34 PM Ry: No bodies. 9:59:44 PM *** Ry looks at the kids, are they in the back seat? *** 10:01:38 PM Josie: Nope. 10:02:03 PM Josie: Wagner: Good. Well, their parents were pretty mad, and then pretty relieved. But still mad. You know how it is. 10:02:41 PM Ry: Yeah. Well, nothing happened except probably some legal sex stuff. 10:05:25 PM Josie: Wagner: Oho, well. None of our official business, in that case. Need a ride home? 10:06:19 PM Ry: No thanks, I'll catch a cab. 10:06:48 PM Josie: Wagner: All right. I owe ya one, man. 10:07:01 PM Ry: We'll add it to the list. 10:08:34 PM Josie: Wagner: It's a long list, I know it. 10:08:42 PM Josie: He waves at Ry, and drives off. 10:10:27 PM *** Ry texts Rose again, asking her to call when she gets a chance, then starts walking closer to the city. *** 10:11:16 PM Josie: She calls in a few minutes. "Something wrong?" 10:12:30 PM Ry: Not really. Couple of kids ran away, saying their neighbor was a vampire. Wagner called me and asked me to check it out, since he was the one babysitting them. 10:13:33 PM Josie: Rose: ... do I need to send someone? 10:14:22 PM Ry: This guy... Sergei, Ordo Dracul, was just a bit sloppy. But you might want to see about editing the kids' memories a bit. 10:15:54 PM Josie: Rose: ... all right. What's their address? 10:17:28 PM Ry: I'll text it over. It was given to me on a greasy McDonalds napkin. 10:18:04 PM Josie: Rose: ... and now I'm hungry. Thanks for that; everyone here will vomit if I try to eat anything in front of them. 10:26:09 PM Ry: Well, not for nothing but the McRib is back. 10:26:31 PM Ry: It shouldn't be an issue, anyway. 10:29:54 PM Josie: Rose: All right. I'll send someone to help the kids forget. 10:30:18 PM Ry: Mostly I don't want 'em trying to go home alone on a vampire. 10:30:46 PM Josie: Rose: That would be bad. 10:42:33 PM Ry: Anyway. That's sorted. Interesting guy. 10:42:45 PM Josie: Rose: How so? 10:44:06 PM Ry: Never met an Ordo Dracul that wasn't some crazy cult leader at the other end of one of my cases. 10:44:39 PM Josie: Rose: You've met some that were? 10:45:27 PM Ry: Just one. Disavowed from the order, of course. 10:46:01 PM Josie: Rose: If you spend that much time studying you can get peculiar. That goes for everybody. 10:46:16 PM Ry: Agreed. 10:47:58 PM Josie: Rose: I have to go, someone wants to complain about taxes again. 10:48:54 PM Ry: all right. 10:51:59 PM Josie: Rose: ... I'll see you. 10:52:01 PM Josie: Click! 10:52:15 PM *** Ry walks for awhile, but checks his messages. *** 10:52:37 PM Josie: Not much else there! 10:59:00 PM *** Ry will walk for awhile, then! And then flag down a taxi and head home. ***